It's well known that Bruce Springsteen management put and end to the "fan-run" B.S. 15 years ago

Not really. I saw Springsteen 5 years ago and there were list nazis there as well. People showed up in the morning and put their name down then went sightseeing for 6 hours before going back to the stadium and going to the front of the line. Lovely stuff.

How did they manage that when Bruce uses the lottery system?

I actually wouldn't have any problem with this at all, provided it is an OFFICIAL LIST and people are logged and registered when they actually show up. I see no need to for people to stand outside all day. Just issue wristbands with numbers on them and say 'start lining up at 5 and we'll see you then'. As long as everyone knows the rules, why not do it that way?

A little different situation, but I just attended Star Wars Celebration in April, and I have never spent so much time standing in line in my life. Why not just assign numbers and call people when it is their turn?

I'm getting to Soldier Field tomorrow around noon (so not that early because I don't feel the need to sit in Bono's lap for the show like these line "leaders"), and you better believe if anyone thinks they have the right to cut in front of me because some entitled loser without a life wrote a number on their hand with a sharpie, I won't stand for that. Not happening.

I'm getting to Soldier Field tomorrow around noon (so not that early because I don't feel the need to sit in Bono's lap for the show like these line "leaders"), and you better believe if anyone thinks they have the right to cut in front of me because some entitled loser without a life wrote a number on their hand with a sharpie, I won't stand for that. Not happening.

I'm getting to Soldier Field tomorrow around noon (so not that early because I don't feel the need to sit in Bono's lap for the show like these line "leaders"), and you better believe if anyone thinks they have the right to cut in front of me because some entitled loser without a life wrote a number on their hand with a sharpie, I won't stand for that. Not happening.

Starman/Cocamojoe......I don't know what time you're getting to Heinz Field, but if you are showing up a Tuesday afternoon, let me know. I have done GA several times. I personally have no issue with people signing the book AT the venue. If you physically show up and are present during the whole process, awesome. We did it for I.E. MSG #1 and that queue was great. I ended up being 31st in line. But this bs of having these self-appointed queue organizers have they and their friends "sign up" days in advance, or on FB, is total rubbish. I haven't encountered this yet and I hope we don't deal with it here in Pittsburgh. Someone needs to tell that woman who started the Cleveland queue that is not going to fly.

To trojanchick99.....I will be at the Cleveland show as well. I certainly hope we can definitely have a good experience there. I will also be at the Pittsburgh show this coming week and I will gladly pass on my experience there.

I live in Pittsburgh and I don't remember any numbering or list for 360. I got in line around 2pm and waited and had a great spot when I entered. I was a few rows back from Adam. I'm doing GA this time around but I'm not even going to worry about getting a decent spot. I don't want to all the way in the back but I figured to just get in line when doors open.

Calm down everybody. You get what you give. I've done GA every tour since elevation. It's all good. Show up, be nice to ppl, sign the list ,get you number and chill on the lawn or sidewalk. Make friends with ppl around you, play cards, tell stories....I've camped all night (in the snow in St. Louis), arrived before sunrise tons of times, been rained on. I'm just a working dad who likes to play like a teenager for a day. This stage is so big, you can get a great spot if you're #1 or #501. If you go in with an attitude or play Lone Ranger, you're just picking a fight with people who are there for a good time. Yes, I've seen some entitled A-holes but 99.9% of the GA ppl are cool. Also, that .1% tend to get the karma as your newfound line neighbors stand strong and shame them from the line.I'll be in CHI1 at soldier field. Come say hi. Look for the 8'tall gold Joshua tree and a very happy pretend teenager.

Calm down everybody. You get what you give. I've done GA every tour since elevation. It's all good. Show up, be nice to ppl, sign the list ,get you number and chill on the lawn or sidewalk. Make friends with ppl around you, play cards, tell stories....I've camped all night (in the snow in St. Louis), arrived before sunrise tons of times, been rained on. I'm just a working dad who likes to play like a teenager for a day. This stage is so big, you can get a great spot if you're #1 or #501. If you go in with an attitude or play Lone Ranger, you're just picking a fight with people who are there for a good time. Yes, I've seen some entitled A-holes but 99.9% of the GA ppl are cool. Also, that .1% tend to get the karma as your newfound line neighbors stand strong and shame them from the line.I'll be in CHI1 at soldier field. Come say hi. Look for the 8'tall gold Joshua tree and a very happy pretend teenager.

You're not wrong. I've always had fun in the line, we're all amped up and ready to go. It's just annoying when you've been there since 8a and a bunch of people come up mid-day and take their spot in front of you, you know?

Anyway, gonna take a deep breath and not worry about it. I need room to dance anyway, and I'm not getting that on the rail! Keeping my eyes peeled for your JT!

GA is definitely a unique experience and waiting in line is a one of a kind experience. We've gone over the disadvantages, but generally, it's a good time and the best way to experience a U2 show (I've done seats twice and it just isn't the same).

Logged

monopoly

Calm down everybody. You get what you give. I've done GA every tour since elevation. It's all good. Show up, be nice to ppl, sign the list ,get you number and chill on the lawn or sidewalk. Make friends with ppl around you, play cards, tell stories....I've camped all night (in the snow in St. Louis), arrived before sunrise tons of times, been rained on. I'm just a working dad who likes to play like a teenager for a day. This stage is so big, you can get a great spot if you're #1 or #501. If you go in with an attitude or play Lone Ranger, you're just picking a fight with people who are there for a good time. Yes, I've seen some entitled A-holes but 99.9% of the GA ppl are cool. Also, that .1% tend to get the karma as your newfound line neighbors stand strong and shame them from the line.I'll be in CHI1 at soldier field. Come say hi. Look for the 8'tall gold Joshua tree and a very happy pretend teenager.

You're dismissing the point. Get in line and have a time is the goal. But the list has destroyed that. Especially when people are self assigning themselves and their friends the first 20 numbers and they go to EVERY show. The stage railing is not that abundant this tour...

This was my early morning, GA line experience in Dallas:I arrived in Arlington on Thursday night to be ready for the 6am line queuing. I drove to the venue that night to get a good idea of where the line was starting, parking lot entrance, etc - and I saw people camping out. My knowledge was that camping wasn’t allowed at AT&T stadium - so I asked a parking lot security guard and he said it was ok. By this time it’s already around midnight. Wanting to get a some sleep in, I go back to the hotel, and come back around 3:30am and only about 4 more people have shown up. The total seemed to be around 20 people there. I wait it out about 30 more min, and I see people with “lists”— it’s literally a hand-written list in a composition notebook. So I go and ask, “Is there a list already??” and they say, “Yeah! We’ll put you on." They write me down as 350 on their list and write that number on my hand with a sharpie.

I stood there in shock. 350??! AND - This was the UNOFFICIAL FAN LIST.

So around 5am more people are arriving, and the self-proclaimed "line leaders" start telling people to line up in order based on the number they wrote down on hands. I WAS NOT HAVING IT. I got there before everyone else THAT morning, the day of the show - the day that the venue told me to get there — why should I have to move based on what an “Unofficial” line leader says? Note: These self-proclaimed line leaders are NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE VENUE, THE PROMOTER, SECURITY, OR U2. They are control freaks that think they own the line.

So I tell the line leader, no way am I letting any one in front of me or tell me where to go in line. And he goes on to threaten me, yelling and screaming, etc. saying “bad things will happen to you. You’re going to wish you didn’t do that. We will remove you. We will get you thrown out. If you get in front of me, I will personally sit on you if you are in my spot.”

Honestly - if that guy or any other one of these line freaks had tried to put their hands me I would have called the police.

I STOOD MY GROUND. I did NOT engage any more with anyone in line - no eye contact, no nothing. If VENUE security had a problem with it, I wanted someone OFFICIAL to tell me. Not a fan.

Note: These self-entitled line leaders will do EVERYTHING they can to get you kicked out by official security. Hence the yelling, screaming, crying, threats, etc. This is obviously how fights break out. Just keep your cool.

By 6am, official Venue security got there to direct the line and hand out the OFFICIAL line wristbands. By the time I got to the front, the self-proclamined line leaders were near official security, checking their list against the venue’s numbers. Of course, I wasn’t “in the correct spot.” Here we go again - more screaming, pushing, etc. right in front of official venue security. Another self-proclaimed line leader tried saying I had cut in line, etc. Venue security DID NOT HAVE IT. They asked me what had happened, I calmly said “I got here at 3:30am, before everyone else showed up. I asked who these people were (self-proclaimed line leaders) and what their list was, and that they told me ‘this is an unofficial line list created by fans.’ (While self-proclaimed line leader was still throwing a hissy fit — he literally sounded like a 3 year old boy crying.) Official venue security rolled his eyes at self-proclaimed line leader, and not wanting to hold the line up any longer, said, “Here is your official wristband.” I happily got my wristband fastened, and went back to my hotel.

At 2pm, when parking lots opened, I went back to the GA line, and got to my official, venue designated place in line. Luckily, no one who had been such a pain earlier that morning said anything around me. By that time, their unofficial list was obsolete and their opinions were obsolete.

I hope this helps anyone wondering about these unofficial lists.

Remember, everyone in these lines has GA tickets — and we all paid the same amount for them, therefore, no one (unless it an official venue, promotor, etc. representative) has the right to remove you because they are numerically ahead of you on the unofficial, fan-created list.

1. Clearly this “list" is started WAY ahead of time (days/weeks) by the self-proclaimed line leaders. Obviously top spots are ensured for self-proclaimed line leaders that way they’re in front of the line, every show. Even if they’re not there early in the morning. It’s a way for them to cut in line ahead of people who have arrived early because their name is on the unofficial list.2. Only those who know where to find it can sign up for it. So it’s clearly designed to be some sort of self-designated power list.3. The self-proclaimed line leaders use it as a way to to make sure them and their buddies get the best spots no matter what and that everyone else is behind them. Sub-note: I totally get that they TRY and run this as way to organize the GA line but when they belittle, badger, threaten, and are 100% belligerent to the people actually following the official venue rules, then they are the ones that are the problem. 4. Why should hundreds of other people be able to get in front of me because they signed an unofficial, fan-created, list days before the show day when they weren’t physically at the venue waiting in line that morning?5. The more people who stand against the unofficial lists, the sooner they go away, and fans can truly line up on a first come, first severed basis.

Keep in mind: If this was in any way official, the venue or promoter would tell you to go to the little Irish pub in XYZ city, sign up on the composition notebook with the unofficial self proclaimed line leader, sharpie the number on your hands, and then come back that morning and get in line based on that number.

Always listen to official representatives - be respectful - stay calm - and understand that self-proclaimed line leaders do not make the rules or own the line. U2 concerts, and any concert for that matter, should be enjoyable, fun, and safe zones. Unfortunately, these self-proclaimed line leaders, make it extremely difficult, annoying, and even hurtful. They think they are above everyone else, and treat others as if they don’t deserve a good spot in line. If they were truly passionate about a band that is passionate about love and respect, they would embody those characteristics and values as well. They should be ashamed and embarrassed by the way treat others and walk around on their high-horses made of straw.

U251, my husband and I were right there with ya! I'm sorry that they were so rude to your sisters. I am very glad we all held our ACTUAL spot in line. I read the U2 Joshua Tree Tour Dallas Facebook page and they were specifically calling out your girlfriend and her pink umbrella...we were pretty thankful for that pink umbrella when she shared it, LOL! Thanks again for your comradery.